Much easier not harder
SM - easier
2 Cards for 500$ gets 5000 MQD = Silver
GM - easier
= Add 25k spend for waiver gets 2500 MQD and then some flying on DL 2500 MQD instead of 6000 = Gold - very easy for any US based flyer
PM much easier
Platinum
4 cards = 10k MQD or 2 cards for 5k MQD and fly for 5k MQD
then spend 75k from Jan 1 2024 on a Reserve Card in 1 yr = PM till 2026 PLUS unlimited visits for you and family members (175$ each for a yr free visits for many people) If you are PM today till 2025, then start the spend in Jan 2025
DM - this is crazy easier
Previously I had to hit 250k spend every other year to get waiver
e.g., 125 MQM PLUS 250k spend Jan 2023 = waiver good till Jan 2025
Now - my DM is valid till end 2024
100k MQM Rollover gets 1 more year = 2025 as DM
My cards are put away till 2026
2026, spend of 230k will be enough with 2 cards 1 DR and 1 Plat - with all benefits
So even easier than 250k Waiver spend
I am assuming zero flying - but when you subtract the flying MQD then the needed spend is much less
I wonder why they think it will boost their Amex spend?
Originally Posted by
ty97
As with the initial announcement, I'm gonna need a bit of time to digest and analyze all of this to determine what is the best value outcome for me pertaining to future flying.
A few brief initial observations/thoughts:
1. The rollbacks/adjustments are far broader than I ever expected. Certainly it's still harder to earn status, no MQD waiver, limited sky club visits for card, etc. The program is still changing greatly. Nonetheless, I expected some limited "here have a candy or two" gimmes from DL, not revision of multiple aspects of the new program.
2. In a world of limited club access, the change to measuring sky club allocations by 'days' instead of 'visits' makes much, much more sense.
3. Never expected MM changes in this (I'm not MM on DL anyway, but that whole section of the announcement was a surprise)
4. UA already gave Gold for 1MM. DL now gives Gold for 1MM. Hoping this pushes AA to give Platinum (their equivalent tier) instead of Gold (their DL Silver equivalent tier) for 1MM.
5. Clearly, these changes were met with a broad negative reaction, beyond just folks like us chatting on a message board. The breadth of the backstepping speaks to that. DL really messed this one up and they realize it.